Whoever said that competitors in the same field of practice can’t get along lied to you.

In this episode, Simeca sits with Jessica Salmon to discuss the journey into the IBCLC world as mothers and business women. Much like the episode with Janiya M. Williams (first episode of the podcast), this one highlights the struggles faced in the breastfeeding world for non-white mothers.

Unlike the first episode, however, both our host and guest are Jamaican-based. Though Jessica is not a born-Jamaican, she has operated in the country and understands the issues faced; thus making the episode, perhaps, more relatable to the Jamaican mom.

Being a non-Jamaican IBCLC, Jessica was able to shed a little light on her own unique journey into the field and how she had to adapt to the country’s culture, while being a mom, wife, and business woman. The discussion included conversations about Jessica’s business, Honeysuckle Motherhood, her ‘Double Your Milk Supply’ workbook and her ‘Guide to the first 90 days’ with your baby initiative.

This one felt a lot like two long-lost friends catching up and it’s made clear by the fun and relaxed tone shared between host and guest. It’s heartwarming, welcoming, and in some cases tear-jerking as both ladies shared intimate stories pertaining to their journeys as moms and how they both inspired each other at the start of their IBCLC careers and continue to inspire each other.

If you’re a listener hoping to venture into the breastfeeding support world, use this conversation as a sign that it is possible and rewarding. Use it as an example that competition does not have to mean arch nemesis. It can mean great collaboration, inspiration, and maybe even friendship.

To connect with Jessica, follow her on Instagram @honeysuckle.motherhood to stay in touch.

“It’s not just about having a chunky baby.” - Simeca Alexander Williamson

In this episode, Simeca goes solo to discuss a recent case (within the last six months of the episode’s publication) of a ‘failure to thrive’ experience.

She starts by explaining to listeners what ‘failure to thrive’ means in the world of breastfeeding. Where she mentions growth charts for babies and the expected path to progression in terms of weight gain.

Simeca mentions including diagrams to illustrate the growth charts. However, Spotify doesn’t allow us to share diagrams. So, our quick fix is to direct you to a growth chart resource. You may head to the following link to access it: Using WHO Growth Standard Charts | Growth Chart Training | CDC

Simeca then proceeds to break the case down into manageable bits and pieces that are digestible for the audience. The mom in this case is a second-time mother whose baby had a tongue tie and was not gaining weight after six weeks.

This episode highlights some key concerns and steps to address the issues:

• Signs to look out for in a potential ‘failure to thrive’ baby

• Postpartum fog

• Positioning (the correct baby hold) - Pace bottle feeding

• Increasing milk supply

• Fast flow bottle usage versus slower flow bottles with a gradual slope or the breast

• Flanging

• Identifying progressive suckling (nutritive sucks vs non nutritive sucks)

• The ‘fine line’ between misguided suggestions from the paediatricians and OBGYN vs correct guidance from lactation consultant

• The importance of following up with your lactation consultant in good time

The hope here is that newborn mothers, other interested parties, and even students preparing to enter the breastfeeding world will be educated based on Simeca’s experience and actions. They will be able to note key points and apply them to their own experiences.

Good News! Simeca shared, “I spoke with mommy about a week ago and the baby was now at 3.3 kg compared to just a .2kg in a six week period. So I am very excited about that! Of course, follow up has to be done with the paediatrician and it’s more ideal when [we - paediatrician and I] can speak with each other just in case we have technical terms [that need clarification]. It’s better when it’s a wholesome and integrated approach in terms of health; especially in a specific case like ‘failure to thrive’.

Simeca handles this case and many others on a daily basis with her clients. A major point to note is that all pregnancies are different, and as such, all breastfeeding journeys are different. As Cradle of Life’s chief lactation consultant, Simeca has the experience, skills, and tools to help mothers and their newborns along their breastfeeding journey, despite the challenges that may present themselves.

You may connect with and contact her via the website, https://cradleoflifeltd.com/ to book a consultation with her.

Sometimes, a conversation about breastfeeding and breastfeeding support extends beyond the obvious. As an initiative of Cradle of Life Limited, this podcast dares to engage in conversations that are related to breastfeeding that we haven’t really considered in great detail before. As such, we dare to have conversations like this one - an in depth, thought-provoking, and perhaps, borderline challenging the norm.

It gets heavy and quite technical, somewhat outside the cliché scope of breastfeeding jargon.

In this episode, Zenzi Moore-Dawes, a Jamaican and Anthropology graduate student at the San Francisco University, joins Simeca to discuss the impact that colonialism and slavery has had on breastfeeding among Black communities — especially Afro-Caribbean and other Black communities.

Zenzi and Simeca get into the discussion to highlight the difference between colonialism and slavery to set the base of the conversation.From there, both ladies dissected the impacts that colonialism and slavery has had on Afro-Caribbean and other Black communities. So, they looked at the separation of mother from child, being forced to breastfeed slave masters’ babies, wet nursing among many other components.

Grab some popcorn and your notepads, this one is one of the most edifying episodes we’ve done thus far. So much so that considerations are being made to extend this conversation. So, stay tuned!